La Vida Voices: The Life with Jesse Sánchez

Few have a finger on the pulse of Latino baseball like Jesse Sánchez. Not only does he cover the day-to-day beat like a beast, he’s the go-to guy for the scoop on Latino prospects. And when those prospects make their signing decisions, Jesse is among the first to know. In this interview with La Vida Baseball, Jesse shares with Editor-in-Chief Adrian Burgos a few stories about who helped shaped his journey, how familia inspired his passion for baseball, how his Texas roots shaped his baseball identity and more.

Jesse Sánchez

What sparked your love of baseball? What role has family played in this?

I’m entering my 18th season covering baseball and the sport has always been an important part of my life. My uncles all played baseball growing up, and they all later played softball. I just remember hanging out at the ballpark. It’s just what we did. I do think the love of the game came from my father. He was my youth league coach and we spent hours practicing in the backyard and later talking about the game. I remember sitting at the kitchen table while he made the lineups for the weekend’s games, and my mother would pitch in with her thoughts. “Why is (fill in the blank) batting first? He can’t hit,” she would say. The funny thing is, the leadoff hitter was usually sitting next to her – our home was the baseball home, where all of the players used to hang out.

Who shaped your journey as a reporter? How has this influenced your approach to being a Latino journalist?

My parents were always my biggest supporters. I knew I could always look in the stands and they would be there. I try to do the same for my kids. I know there are lots of families in the stands watching big league games. They are the lifeline of the sport – and that’s not lost on me.

There have been many men and women that have helped me along the way and continue to provide guidance. Too many to count. I feel like it’s my responsibility to do the same with young writers or even peers that ask for my opinion. We are all in this together, and I think it’s important we help each other. That’s not just baseball, that’s life.

What was your favorite team? How did the experience of rooting them on shape your Latino fandom?

My hometown team had a profound influence on my love for the game. The Rangers had lots of Latinos on their teams during my formative years, and it was great to see the familiar Spanish last names on the back of their jerseys at the stadium. I wore No. 21 in Rubén Sierra’s honor. I also wore No. 25 in honor of Buddy Bell when I was younger.

I have been fortunate to cover more than a dozen Caribbean Series, World Series and All-Star Games. I’ve been blessed to cover special events in Cuba; Williamsport, Pa. [site of the Little League World Series]; and parks across the globe. But I’ll never forget buying tickets for my parents to watch the Rangers play in back-to-back World Series. Saying hello to them in the stands in Arlington at a World Series is something that will stay with me forever.

Since you started covering MLB from a national perspective in 2006, what do you believe is the single biggest change in media coverage of Latino players?

I think the media landscape continues to evolve. The world feels like such a smaller place. With that in mind, I have noticed that reporters are paying more attention to all stories, including – but not just – the Latino stories.  I love that there are Spanish-English translators in the clubhouse. Baseball is a global game. It belongs to all of us. I feel like more stories are being told. That’s a good thing.

Profiling the stories of Spanish broadcasters remains important to you. Who is a Spanish broadcaster every fan should know more about?

The relationship between Jaime Jarrín and René Cárdenas is one of the most important stories nobody talks about anymore. Cárdenas was a Spanish-language sports broadcasting pioneer. He was Jarrín’s first mentor with the Dodgers and was among the first to set him on the path to Cooperstown. Jarrín is a legend and one of the most important voices in and outside of the game. Cárdenas has also had a profound impact on the sport and communities. He deserves more recognition.

You’ve said at one point you used to cut and paste “defected from Country X in 20XX.” Explain how your firsthand experiences in Cuba and other countries have inspired you to dig in deeper and really humanize the stories of defection.

The “cut and paste” line I use is just a figure of speech. But there was a time I would use the word “defection” or “defected” so many times in stories that I unintentionally would lose track of the consequences and the impact on lives. In 2015, I covered a group of MLB players who traveled to Cuba as part of a goodwill tour. Chicago White Sox first baseman José Abreu was part of that group. Abreu’s son was just a baby when the first baseman defected from Cuba, and the trip back to the island was an opportunity to see his boy for the first time in years. Abreu was visibly nervous. There were tears of joy and many hugs when they finally met. Just seeing a father reunite with a young son was one of the most beautiful and also one of saddest things I had ever seen. I saw other players reunite with family members they had not seen in years. Baseball had allowed us to visit the island, but those moments were not about the sport. The moments were about life and family, themes we can all understand, no matter where you are from or where you live.

Featured Image: Jesse Sánchez Instagram

Inset Image: Jesse Sánchez